Healthy Monster Cookies
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These healthy monster cookies are soft, chewy and packed with oats, peanut butter and chocolate. They come together fast and taste so fun and nostalgic.
Isaac and I snack on monster trail mix all the time and I always grab the handful with the most M&Ms. I can never resist that chocolatey bite. That little habit made me think about monster cookies again and how much I love them so I had to make a gluten free batch. These cookies come out soft and chewy with oats, peanut butter and plenty of chocolate which is pretty much my dream cookie situation.
Table of Contents
“Awesome, easy recipe! I add raisins to this as well for another texture. Comes together with pantry items and my toddler helps to stir and scoop. So fun and he loves the m&ms and the color they add. Warning: these are totally addictive!”
Why I Love This Monster Cookie Recipe
- Soft and chewy: The mix of peanut butter and oats gives these cookies the best texture with a tender center and a nice chewy bite.
- Wholesome: Coconut sugar and gluten free oats keep things simple and balanced without losing that classic monster cookie flavor.
- Freezer friendly: They freeze beautifully so you can keep a stash ready for busy days or quick treats.
- Kid friendly: These cookies come together in one bowl which makes them great for little helpers. Kids can scoop, stir and add the chocolate which makes baking extra fun.
Ingredients Needed
I upgraded a few of these ingredients to make these healthier monster cookies. Because we don’t use any flour, these are naturally gluten-free.
- rolled old fashioned oats – give these cookies their classic chewy texture and help everything hold together without any flour.
- peanut butter – adds richness and a boost of protein which makes these cookies feel extra satisfying.
- unsalted butter – helps the dough come together and gives the cookies a soft tender feel once baked.
- coconut sugar – the less-processed upgrade for granulated sugar or brown sugar. It adds a warm caramel sweetness that works so well with the oats and peanut butter.
- cane sugar – helps the cookies spread slightly and keeps the edges soft.
- eggs – hold everything together so the cookies bake up thick and chewy.
- dark chocolate chips – my go to is Enjoy Life or Lily’s because they melt beautifully and pair so well with the peanut butter and oats.
- M&M’s – add color and crunch and give these cookies that classic monster cookie look.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Notes
Here are some easy swaps in case you want to change things up or use what you already have in the pantry.
- M&Ms swap: I love using the chocolate gems from UNREAL. They have no artificial dyes and the colors look so pretty in these cookies.
- Egg-free: A flax egg should work if you want to keep these egg free. The cookies may spread a tiny bit less but they still taste amazing.
- Nut butter options: Any natural nut or seed butter should work if you want to try something different. Almond butter and sunflower seed butter are both great choices.
How to Make Monster Cookies
Here is the simple method I use for these cookies. Everything comes together in one bowl and the dough is so easy to work with.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the peanut butter, softened butter, coconut sugar, cane sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Step 2: Stir in the oats, baking soda and salt until the mixture looks thick and well combined.
Step 3: Gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&M style candies. Stop once everything looks evenly mixed so the cookies stay soft and chewy.
Step 4: Scoop the dough onto a sheet pan and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges but still soft on top. Let them cool for a few minutes before moving them to a rack.
Tips for the Best Monster Cookies
- Use creamy peanut butter: Natural peanut butter works great, but make sure it is stirred well so the dough mixes evenly and the cookies bake up soft instead of crumbly.
- Keep the dough slightly under mixed: Stop folding once the oats and candies look evenly combined. Overmixing can make the cookies dry and dense.
- Pull them from the oven while the tops look soft: Monster cookies firm up as they cool, so taking them out a little early keeps the texture thick and chewy.
- Let them rest on the sheet pan: Give them a few minutes before moving to a rack. This helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps the edges from breaking.
How to Store Your Monster Cookies
These cookies keep well which makes them great for snacks all week.
Room temperature: Store them in an airtight container on the counter for 3 to 4 days. They stay soft and chewy.
Fridge: Keep them in the fridge for up to a week if you want them to last a little longer.
Freezer: These freeze beautifully. Place the cookies in an airtight container and add a sheet of parchment between each layer so they do not stick together. Let them sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe uses rolled oats instead of flour, natural peanut butter and coconut sugar for a more wholesome sweetener. You still get plenty of chocolate in every bite and the cookies stay thick, soft and so satisfying.
Yes. I like using the chocolate gems from UNREAL because they are made without artificial dyes and taste amazing in this recipe. They give you that classic monster cookie look while keeping things a little more natural.
Take them out of the oven while the tops still look a little soft. They finish setting as they cool, which keeps the texture thick and chewy. Letting them rest on the sheet pan for a few minutes also helps.
You can add a small scoop of vanilla protein powder if you want a little boost. Start with one or two tablespoons and reduce the oats slightly to keep the dough from getting too dry.
These cookies should hold together well, but oatmeal cookies can turn crumbly for a few reasons. If you have had this happen before, you might be adding too much flour in other recipes. This one is flourless, so that part is easy. Using real butter also helps the dough stay soft and moist. Overbaking can dry the cookies out too, so pull them from the oven while the tops still look soft. I have tested this recipe many times and have never had a crumbly batch, but these tips can help if you have had trouble with oatmeal cookies in the past.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup creamy drippy peanut butter, or almond butter
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup cane sugar, or more coconut sugar
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tablespoons almond milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup M&M’s or candy-coated chocolate pieces, I used UNREAL Milk Chocolate Candy Gems
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, and sugars using a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the almond milk, egg and vanilla; beat until just combined.
- Add rolled oats, oat flour, baking soda and salt to wet ingredients. Stir together with a spatula or on low speed until everything is well mixed.
- Stir in the M&M’s and chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon scoop dough into balls (about 1.5 Tbsp). Place on prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten slightly. You don’t want to flatten too much because the cookies will spread.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are golden and centers are set but still soft.
- Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: Keep these cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3 to 4 days or store them in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well. Place parchment between layers so they do not stick together and let them sit on the counter before enjoying.
- No bake option: If you love the sound of these monster cookies, but would rather skip the baking process, I recommend trying my Monster cookie protein balls!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Send these frequently to my daughter at college and they are gone almost immediately! Such a hit – thank you!
Yay! So glad to hear that, Karin. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it.
So I made this recipe before and it was delicious!! I made it again today and thought I’d review since it’s just so dang good. I made it the original way the first time -yummy- then today I decided to try and play with it. I did 6 tablespoons of applesauce instead of butter and only 1/3 cup coconut sugar and 1/3 cup honey. I felt like the peanut butter is already so sweet to me I could cut out quite a bit of sugar and it be fine and let me tell you it was!! I loved it with the honey because peanut butter and honey just go together. To me it didn’t lose ANY of the sweetness especially since you also have the chocolate chips and candies in there as well. Thought I would tell you in case someone was looking to lighten it up just a tiny bit. 😻😻
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Mary! Thank you so much for the review and letting everyone know about your substitutions. So appreciate it!
Would i be able to use quick oats for this if i don’t care about the gluten free factor?
Hey Laura! Yes, you should be just fine using quick oats for this recipe!
Awesome, easy recipe! I add raisins to this as well for another texture. Comes together with pantry items and my toddler helps to stir and scoop. So fun and he loves the m&ms and the color they add. Warning: these are totally addictive!
Yay!! So glad you love this recipe, Sonya. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it! <3
We so wanted to love this recipe. Used all organic, good quality ingredients, followed directons to a t and my dough was a crumbly mess. Could not form dough balls and when packed together they did not flatten at all. Added more peanut butter to help bind them better which helped slightly. Wet to dry ingredient ratio seems very off.
Hi Theresa. I’m so sorry to hear this, but I appreciate your feedback. Can I ask what type of peanut butter you used?
Sounds good.
So funny how similar these are to the peanut butter Monster cookies my boarding school has made for 60 years in Southern Virginia! I did my own gluten free adaptation for the school and it’s alumni in 2015. I’ll have to try your version sometime to compare & contrast. 🙂
That’s funny but I guess the base recipe for monster cookies is pretty standard so it makes sense! 🙂 You’ll have to try these and see what you think.
do you think you could sub another nut butter or sunflower seed butter?
Totally! Any nut or seed butter should work.
I think oats contain gluten
Hey Sharon. Oats are inherently gluten-free but are often times contaminated with other grains so that’s why you need to buy certified gluten-free oats if you want to make sure they are 100% gluten-free. Hope this helps!
There used to be a gluten-free bakery near me that made monster cookies. I’m so happy to be able to recreate these at home. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Janet, I’m so happy you found this recipe! Definitely come back and let me know what you think if you make them.
These sound so good! I remember my mom making monster cookies when I was a child! Have you ever tried replacing some of the sugar with date paste? I was just wondering….
Hey Melissa, I have not tried using date paste in this recipe so I’m not 100% sure how they’d turn out, but I’m sure it would work! Definitely let me know if you try using date paste and how they turn out for you.